Indicating insulator



Dec. 1924- 152L433.

R. w. CHARLTON INDI CATING INSULATOR Filed April 17. 1923 ic-z. T aui Patented Dec; 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES ROBERT W. CHARLTON, F PINE-VILLE, LOUISIANA.

INDICATING INSULAIOR.

Application filed April 17, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Bonner IV. CHARLTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pineville, in the parish of llapides and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating Insulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an indicating insulator, and particularly to a construction embodying base and cap members adapted to clam and retain between them a conducting wire.

In the practical application of this type of insulator, much of the work of installation is conducted in positions where the insulator itself is not readily visible when the conductors are applied thereto, and frequently the conditions of light are such that the position of the ducts or channels on the insulator cannot be seen when attempting to introduce the conducting wire therein. Frequently an electrician in applying these insulators is using a ladder or stooping directly in front of the insulator knob, as when applying the securing nail or screw, and holds in one hand a tool for that purpose while the other hand stretches the conductor taut and positions it in the groove of the knob. \Vhen the location of this groove cannot be seen the parts are often assembled with the line wire crossing the groove so that as the insulator is tightened to clamp the wire the same is broken and a rigid attachment cannot be effected. Much of the electrical installation work is in positions where the electrician cannot directly observe the insulator and in attics or spaces where there is very poor light, so that it is desirable to provide upon the insulator means by which the grooves therein may be positioned through the sense of touch and the knob or body turned for that purpose.

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of an insulator having its body portion provided with a duct or groove to receive a conductor, and with indicating means disposed upon the outer face of the body relative to the position of the duct so that the insulator body may be adjusted either by the sense of touch or sight to bring the grooves therein into alignment with the conducting wires to be clamped.

The invention also contemplates the provision in a two-part insulating knob of conducting grooves in both the cap and body,

Serial No. 632,739.

together with indicating means upon the exterio of both members which when aligned bring the conductor-receiving grooves into alignment with each other and with the conductors to be secured therein.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective showing the invention applied;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the form thereof shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 4 is an elevation of a further modification;

Figure 5 is a top plan of the body portion of the construction shown in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a similar View of the form shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is a like view of the indicator arrangement shown in Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of another modification of the invention; and

Figure 9 is a cross section of an additional modification thereof.

Like numerals refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The numeral 10 designates the body of the insulator which may be of any preferred material or configuration and is here shown as of the knob type and provided with a cap member 11 which is secured thereon by the attaching nail Or screw 12 passing through a substantially central aperture 13 in the body and cap. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 the body portion is provided with one or more ducts or grooves let extending diametrically across the same and the cap portion 11 is formed with similar cooperating grooves 15 which are adapted to be aligned when embracing the conducting wires or cables 16, as indicated in Figure 1.

For the purpose of indicating the position of these grooves relative to the conducting member to be located therein, he outer or exterior face of the body is provided with an indicating means which may be of any preferred character and is shown in Figures 1 and 2 as comprising a rib 16*, such rib being duplicated upon the cap 11 as at 17 so that when the ribs 16 and 17 are alignec the conducting grooves are similarly disposed and the parts in position to be clamped.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the body 10 and the cap 11 are provided with a different form of indicating means comprising a series of projections 18 forming a bead-like surface which is readily perceptible to the sense of touch when adjusting the parts both for the purpose of locating the groovesof the body in alignment with the conductors and for properly aligning the cap member relative thereto.

In Figure 4 the indicating characters 19 are disposed in alignment with one of the conducting grooves, as distinguished from a position intermediate of said grooves as indicated in Figures 2 and 3.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figure 8 the body 10 is of the usual character but the cap 20 is of the anyposition type, in that it has no grooves to receive the conductor and may be clamped in any position to the base. The base grooves, however, are provided with an indication as at 21 which may comprise the name of the maker or other lettering which, owing to its position relative to the grooves, comprises an indicating means.

In the previous illustrations of the invention the indicating means has been suggested as aised or projecting from the body 10 but it may be depressed as in Figure 9 when the grooves 22 are positioned relative to the receiving ducts for the conductor.

Under some conditions of use it may be desirable to coat the indicating means with a luminous paint or substance to render the same readily visible when repairs are necessary at night or in dark posit-ions.

The construction and application of this invention will be apparent from the foregoing description from which it will be obvious that an electrician by locating the indicating means can immediately position the groove in the base to align with the wires when drawn taut and similarly apply the cap member before the pcrn'ianent connec tion of these members through the attaching device, even though the insulating knob itself is not in a position to be seen bodily or the position of the grooves therein.

An effort has been made in prior constructions of insulators to align the grooves of the body and cap by an irregular contour oi the division line between these members but such a structure is expensive to manufacture and very liable to breakage and damage in application. This invention provides means for not only locating the position of the groove or way in the insulator, but also the direction thereof. which is accomplished by the provision of the indications upon op posite faces of the plug so positioned as to clearly indicate the direction of the groove when both are grasped by a workman installing the insulator. The indicating means 0t this invention are t-hereiore adapted to effect a multiple function by designating both position and direction.

The invention is adapted to economize in labor by eliminating possible error in aligning conducting wires in the proper grooves of the insulators, while the cost of manufacture does not exceed that of the ordinary insulator ot a similar type.

lVhile several forms of the indicating means have been specifically shown and (lescribcd, the invel'ition is not confined thereto as it contemplates in scope the location ot an indicator relative to the cond,uctorreceiving groove in order to permit the location and assembling of the parts through the sense of touch when the same are in a concealed position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States 1. An insulator comprising a body portion provided with a transverse duct to receive a conducting member, a clamping cap for said body, and indicating means provided upon the periphery of the body disposed relative to the position of said duct.

An insulator comprising a body portion provided with a transverse ductto receive a conducting member, a clamping cap for said body, and indicating means extending longitudinally upon the peri 'ihery ot the body and cap and disposed relative to the position of said duct.

An insulator comprising a body portion provided with a transverse duct to receive a conducting member, a clamping cap for said body provided with a cooperating duct, and indicating means disposed upon the periphery oli said body and cap and adapted to be aligned when the ducts in each member are in position to receive a conductor.

4. In a two-part insulator comprising a body portion and a cap port-ion each having a. transverse conductor-recciving groove, of indicating means extending longitudinally oi the body and cap and projecting from the periphery thereof to be readily perceptible to th sense oil touch in the relative adjustment of the base to receive a conducting member.

An insulator comprising a body portion provided with parallel transverse grooves in its face and a central aperture, a rap member provided with cooperating aligned grooves and asimilar aperture, and indicating means disposed upon the peripheral face of the body and cap intermediate of said conductor receiving grooves.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

ROBERT W. (initial/um. 

